Nikos Stamatis, Secretary of POVEK Larnaca - Famagusta, called on the government to support companies and employees by suspending evictions and sales and reducing rents.
In his statements to KYPE, Mr. Stamatis said that "the situation that prevails during this period with the stores in the provinces of Larnaca and Famagusta will be painful if no measures are taken. The issues of evictions, sales and rents are the most important that the shopkeepers face and in case no measures are taken then what exists today is the forerunner of what will follow ".
He added that "cases involving evictions from shops have not yet started to be heard in the Courts and at the moment either the keys are returned to the owner or a compromise is made between the two parties. However, when evictions begin after Court decisions, then the situation will be even more difficult, especially in the free province of Famagusta. "
He noted that "although in previous years it was considered a great fortune to rent a store in the free province of Famagusta, today most of them are empty and rented. The number of stores that are rented is expected to increase, while in the spring most of them, due to the economic situation that prevails due to the coronavirus pandemic, will not operate ".
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Stamatis said that "one of the measures that the government is now taking to support businesses, giving employees a percentage of their earnings, facilitates business and is important, but it is not the main component that will lead these businesses to remain open. "But when the main expense of a business is rent, when businesses have been forced to stay closed by law for a long time and the rest of the time they are under-operated, then there is a huge problem with their obligation to pay rent."
Nikos Stamatis cited as an example what happened in Greece, ie with the reduction of rents to 40% by law and noted that in Cyprus this was judged as an unconstitutional measure. "Cyprus has a government and a Parliament and we call on them to make sure that such Legislations are adopted in order to make it possible to reduce rents," he said.
Another big problem that many people are facing at the moment, he continued, "is the sales and the government must come to help to give a suspension. The state must also give direct support to the companies, because the company gives the employee a job and in case it is destroyed, then the allowance given to the unemployed by the competent authorities is not enough to survive ".
To another question he answered that "to the large number of unemployed that exist today will be added shopkeepers and businessmen, since too many will not be able to survive the winter. "The state must realize that the viability of businesses must be protected so that they can employ people who are asking for work, not alms."
Mr. Stamatis referred to the event that will be held by POVEK next Wednesday 18 of the month outside the Presidential Palace and noted that "we have informed the Ministry of Health and the competent authorities about our intention and we are waiting for their response. The event will be motorized, ie the protesters will go with their cars, without causing any danger regarding the coronavirus pandemic ".
Source: KYPE